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THE KING’S BUSINESS
(5) Jonah had a second chance but he. had a close call. (6) One man can move a mountain if God gives the word. (7) A suit of sackcloth and ashes would be becoming to most of us. (8) The cry of Jonah wrought conviction;
the cry of the people brought com passion. (9) A pathetic picture : A city under the curse of a common guilt; a regener ated, resurrected man; a God-given word of warning ; a convicted city ; a suspended sentence.
----- :--- ----------- .. Amos, the Fearless Prophet NOVEMBER 28, 1915. LESSON IX. Amps 5 :1-15. (Commit vs. 14,15.) G olden T e x t : “He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully.”—Jer. 23:28. DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Mon., Nov. 22—Amos 5:1-8. Tues., Nov. 23—Amos 5 :9-15. Wed., Nov. 24—Dan. 6:18-23. Thurs., Nov. 25—Dan. 3:13-18. Fri., Nov. 26—Jer. 1:7-19. Sat., Nov. 27—Acts 4:13-22. Sun., Nov. 28—Acts 7 :51-60.
EXPOSITION AND. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
V. 1. “Hear ye this word which I 'take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Israel.” Jehovah is the speaker of the words of the lesson, they are Jehovah’s own words: twice in the fifteen verses the words “Thus saith the Lord” occur, and in the verse immediately before us a synonymous expression is used. These words were spoken to the house of Israel, but they teach principles that apply to all peoples and all ages. The words were spoken to Israel in a time of great disaster (vs. 2, 3). The disaster had come upon Israel because of her sins, and Jehovah in great mercy was calling for repentance and salvation. The prophecy of Amos, as all other prophecies,- begins with judgment and ends with salva tion and deliverance. v. 4. "For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye Me, and ye shall live.” We have here a command and a promise. The one who obeys the command will obtain the promise, and the one who does not obey the command will not obtain the promise. It is just as true today as it
was in the days of Amos, that to seek Jeho vah is the way of life, and to forsake Je hovah is the way of death. The question arises at once, and it. is a tremendously im portant question: What does it mean to “Seek the Lord ?” The answer to the ques tion is found in taking the words and con sidering exactly what they mean. To seek is just the opposite of to forsake (cf. 1 Chron. 28:9; 2 Chron. 15:2): therefore to seek the Lord is to turn your face toward Him instead of turning your back upon 'Him, it is to seek His favor by learning and obeying His will (2 Chron. 20:3; 34:3)'. For one who has wandered from Jehovah to seek the Lord is simply to turn from sin, to turn from your own ways and your own thoughts, and turn to the Lord in obedience and trust (Isaiah 55:6, 7). There is life, eternal life, for the greatest sinner who will thus seek the Lord : He will abundantly pardon all who thus turn to Him (Isaiah 55:6, 7; Deut. 30:2-8). The promise of life is .a wonderful promise! This world has nothing to give in comparison with eternal
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